Our Claims Advisors: From the Past to the Present
Car insurance in our country first began in 1939, driven by the growing number of vehicles and the resulting need; its uptake increased rapidly every year from 1940 onwards. With the onset of the 1980s and 1990s, the number of vehicles began to rise significantly, and vehicles shifted from commercial use towards private and personal use. Naturally, as the number of vehicles increased, traffic accidents continued to rise at the same rate.
In the early days, the sector was built on three pillars: the bodywork and paint specialist, who was also the business owner; the insurance surveyor; and the insurance company. We would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the young people of the sector at that time—who are now our esteemed elders and veterans.
As the workload increased, our bodywork specialists—who were both business owners and skilled tradesmen—began to complain: “Should I be wielding a hammer, keeping track of paperwork, or applying body filler and primer? And on top of that, there’s the collection of insurance claims; how on earth am I supposed to cope with all of this?” It was at this point that the foundations for our claims advisory service were gradually laid.
There are many differences between the digital age we live in and the past. Our colleagues currently working in this profession are able to manage the entire process of their work from their desks. Of course, please don’t misunderstand the phrase ‘from where they sit’. Not so long ago—in fact, about 30 years ago—photographs of vehicle damage were taken with cameras, first captured on film, and then developed. It was necessary to visit the photo studio at least three to five times a day to have the photos printed.
All claims documents, together with photographs, are submitted to the loss adjusters in a single file; if you are a friendly and approachable claims advisor, you could have gone to the insurance company’s head office and handed the documents over in person to the claims file manager, thereby ensuring the case was settled more quickly.
Then there was the most time-consuming part of the job: collecting insurance claims. Cheques were drawn up every Friday. The journey would begin on Friday morning in Karaköy and Kabataş, continue via Mecidiyeköy and Levent, and finally end with the collection of cheques from the insurance companies in Altunizade on the Asian side. That was how the day would come to an end.
But what a commotion it was! You can’t even imagine it now. The cashiers would call out names one by one, shouting at the top of their voices. When the name of the vehicle’s registered owner was called, you’d collect your cheque. If you didn’t hear your name being called or weren’t there, you’d go and ask as soon as you got the chance; and more often than not, you’d get a telling-off. Nowadays, payments are made directly to an IBAN. Life has really become easier.
Fast forward to the present day: from time to time, either we cause an accident, someone else causes one involving us, or someone hits our parked car and drives off. These are situations that can arise in the normal course of life. If we drive a car, these are perfectly normal occurrences that could happen to us at any moment.
Our craftsmen put their artistry and experience to good use, repairing and painting the parts; well done to them. However, behind the scenes, there is far more paperwork and official red tape than you might imagine.
This is exactly where our heroes—without their capes—step in. First, they greet you, listen to what has happened to you, and immediately form an initial assessment in their minds, which they then share with you. Your roadmap is now mapped out.
We collect your claim documents, take detailed photographs of your vehicle, arrange for the workshop manager to carry out an initial assessment, open your claim file using your policy number, and invite the assigned insurance assessor to the service centre. We review the damage list with the visiting assessor and obtain final approvals. If spare parts are required, we liaise with the supplier; we maintain constant telephone contact to ensure the parts arrive as soon as possible.
And then there are the part reference codes… Finding the right part code and selecting it from digital catalogues is no easy task. It can be a real headache at times.
Whenever he has a spare moment, he visits the workshop to check on the vehicles’ current condition. Once the repairs are complete, he invites you to collect your vehicle. After that, he continues to follow up with the insurance company regarding the claim settlement.
In fact, the more experienced a claims advisor is and the more they enjoy their work, the shorter the repair process for your vehicle will be and the higher the quality of the repairs will be.
I think our claims advisors deserve your appreciation. Please do let them know how much you appreciate them.
Hakan Erkoyuncu
